Specific RNA protease inhibitors from in vitro selection.

Abstract

RNA aptamers that bind to and inhibit the proteolytic activity of subtilisin BPN' are selected in vitro from pools of random RNA. The RNAs in vitro transcribed from the isolated clones show highly specific inhibition toward the microbial serine proteases. From the sequences of the isolated clones, a C/A-rich sequence was obtained. The kinetic features of the common C/A-rich sequence will be discussed.